Got the winter blues? What you need is nabemono and warm sake, a Japanese tradition. Find out how it all works here.
Virtual Travel with Umami: Shimane
Until we can all travel again, indulge in the deep history and food culture of Japan's beautiful Shimane prefecture virtually.
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Culture, Food Traditions, Seasonal, Winter
12 Months of Japanese Holidays: December’s Toji, Christmas Eve and Omisoka
In Japan, December means three major holidays: the winter solstice celebration, known as Toji; Christmas Eve; and Omisoka, the New Year's Eve purity rites, which take place in both the shrine and the home.
Do you see cold nights in your near future? If so, turn them into an opportunity to gather your friends and practice your sake-serving skills with this guide.
When cooking Japanese food in season, choose carrots and mung bean sprouts for the month of January. They add plenty of flavor to a wide variety of traditional Japanese dishes, as well as nutrition and health benefits.
This winter, get out of the cold weather and visit a Japanese Food mecca south of the equator like Singapore, Easter Island and Hawaii.
Although the term setsubun refers to the turning of any season in Japan, only one of the four annual occurrences is a well-known holiday. On February 3, the Japanese usher in spring with purifying rituals.
Culture, Food Traditions, Seasonal, Winter
12 Months of Japanese Holidays: January’s San Ga Nichi, Nanakusa and Kagami Biraki
The month of January brings three of the most significant holidays in Japanese culture: San Ga Nichi, the first three days of the new year; Nanakusa, when the Japanese esat seven-herb porridge; and Kagami Biraki, the opening of the mochi.
In the month of February, both onions and avocados are in season in Japan. Serving as both garnishes and main ingredients, they are a great way to enhance a dish and improve your health at the same time.
In Japan, people often cook with fresh, in-season ingredients. During the cold month of December, hakusai (nappa cabbage), kabu (turnips) and daikon radishes are the perfect accompaniments to many hearty and warming dishes.
Osechi ryori is a celebratory meal in Japan, enjoyed during the New Year holiday and shared with family. The foods that comprise osechi ryori each have its own meaning and symbolism, many representing health, wealth, and happiness for the new year.
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Quick & Easy Recipes
Make an authentic Japanese simmered daikon radish with chicken soboro using our handy recipe. This dashi-broth-infused dish is simple yet elegant and packs a lot of flavor, making it perfect as a side or main dish for many different occasions.
Get ready to impress friends and family with our easy-to-follow recipe and video for katsuobushi and broccoli salad, an authentic Japanese food recipe based on just two ingredients yet packing a flavor punch that will get you a standing ovation.
Top off some homemade sushi or create a snack platter for your next party with tamagoyaki. This sweet and savory Japanese omelet will soon become one of your favorite ways to prepare eggs at home.
Soy sauce, mirin, and sake mixed in the golden ratio are the key to the secret sauce behind this yummy and authentic Ginger Pork Shogayaki. Learn how to make this quick and easy dish at home with our recipe and video.
There are myriad of ways to cook miso soup. This recipe focuses on maitake mushroom, one of the many healthy mushrooms used in Japaneses cooking.
Ketchup rice covered with a thin omelet. Try this once and you might fall in love with the tastiness!
Three flavors and three colors come together in perfect harmony in our yummy tricolor soboro bowl where seasoned ground chicken, Japanese style scrambled eggs and snow peas each stand apart.
Want to make an easy breakfast/lunch? Try the pizza toast but with miso for a Japanese taste.
A traditional part of Japanese food culture, soybean kinako tea, is a sweet and creamy drink that is made with black tea, soymilk, and kinako soy flour to add richness and creamy consistency. Learn to make it at home with our recipe and video!
Soups are an important part of Japanese food culture, but they are often overlooked. Here is an easy recipe for a ginger and onion spiced tuna, mushroom and onion dashi soup that's perfect for almost any season.
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This beautiful raindrop is actually a delicious Japanese dessert. It looks gorgeous but not that hard to make at home. Serve this, and you will wow your family and friends!
You can make much more than miso soup with miso paste. Try our five easy recipes that use miso paste to expand your cooking repertoire. Once you're used to using miso, you can surely apply it to many more recipes.
Donburi rice bowls are quick and flavor-packed meals that are a popular part of Japanese food. Make Gyudon, a rice bowl topped with thinly sliced beef and green onions in your kitchen with our recipe!
The vegan boom in recent years shows similar movements in Japan, and vegan sushi is also becoming popular. Learn how to make your vegan sushi easily at home!
No-bake cheesecake, or rare cheesecake, is a popular Japanese dessert menu. Adding silken tofu makes it healthier, and a hint of zesty yuzu syrup would make this dessert a total game changer!
Shiro Dashi is about to change your Japanese cooking game! It's such a versatile ingredient you can easily recreate Japanese flavor at home.
